A smart card is a relatively small, typically pocket-sized, plastic card with an embedded integrated circuit (IC). The IC typically includes a digital storage array (memory) and a processor.
A smart card is typically used for storing data securely. In the context of mobile phone technology, secured data uniquely identifies a mobile phone subscriber to an associated Mobile Network Operator (MNO). The data stored in a smart card also defines the types of services to which a subscriber is entitled. A special kind of smart card, known as a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card, is a used with a cellular phone technology known as the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM).
ISO-7810 is an international standard relating to smart cards, and the standard is managed jointly by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). According to ISO-7810, smart cards may be 85.6 millimeter (mm) long and 53.98 mm wide. A smart card with the aforementioned dimensions is said to comply with the ID-1 format. Such smart card is referred to herein as an “ID-1 card.” Due to their compact size, ID-1 cards can be conveniently handled during manufacturing, transferred (such as to intended end-users), and stored.
A common trend in electronics is to minimize size, and accordingly a smart card smaller than the ID-1 card has been defined. This miniature card is said to “comply with ID-000 format,” which was devised as a form factor for a SIM card.
Due to the size being smaller than a card complying with the ID-1 format, SIM cards are not handled as conveniently as ID-1 cards. For example, a SIM card is more prone to becoming lost or damaged. Therefore, for handling and shipping, SIM cards are usually embedded in, integrated with, supported on, or carried by ID-1 cards (carrier cards) and detached there from at a later stage, such as when a phone subscriber wants to insert a SIM card into a mobile phone.
SIM cards are normally protected by secret information, which may be embedded as a PIN code and a PUK key. Such codes and keys are examples of information that is customized to the SIM card. Such information is herein collectively referred to as “information pertaining to the operation of the SIM card,” or more generally “information pertaining to the operation of the smart card”, or even just “information” for brevity. The information may include other kinds of data, such as barcode data. Sometimes, the information is printed on a piece of paper accompanying the SIM card or mounted onto the associated ID-1 carrier card. Printing the information on a piece of paper or on the SIM card's shipment envelope increases the probability of shipping SIM cards with incorrect information, due to the possibility of mismatch of the paper or envelope with the SIM card.
From a manufacturing point of view, it is relatively convenient to add by printing, engraving, and so on the information onto the surface of the ID-1 carrier card, because this step can be performed as part of the personalization or customization process of the SIM card. The part of the ID-1 card with the confidential information may be concealed with a layer of a scratch-removable material. For environmental preservation reasons, it is desirable to recycle ID-1 carrier cards after the SIM card is removed. However, ID-1 carrier cards with information thereon are usually retained by their users with their SIM cards, so they are generally not recycled.
FIG. 1 illustrates an ID-000 card 6, which is an exemplary payload, carried by an ID-1 card 2. ID-1 card 2 is thus regarded as a “carrier” card. A traditional card assembly of an ID-1 carrier card, such as ID-1 carrier card 2, and an ID-000 card, such as ID-000 card 6, may be regarded as a “2-part” card assembly. ID-000 card 6 contains an embedded integrated circuit (not shown), the external electrical contacts of which are shown at 9. Embedding an IC within ID-000 card 6 makes ID-000 card 6 a smart card, for which reason ID-000 card 6 is also referred to herein as “smart card 6.”
ID-000 card 6 is shown carried by, and detachably connected to, carrier card 2 by breakaway link (or breaking line) 4, which is typically a groove, perforation, slot line, or the like. Breakaway link 4 is shown interrupted by breaking points (or breaking bridges) 8. Detaching, or separating, smart card 6 from ID-1 card 2 may be effected, for example, by first breaking points 8 and then by pulling smart card 6 from ID-1 card 2.
A breakaway link generally is a mechanically weakened line separating two elements. The breaking line may be weakened, for example by reducing its thickness to the extent that one can relatively easily separate one element from the other. In FIG. 1, breakaway link 4 (the perimeter of smart card 6) is shown between smart card 6 and carrier ID-1 card 2.
As discussed above, information pertaining to the operation of the smart card is sometimes added to the surface of the ID-1 carrier card. In FIG. 1, exemplary information “abc-1234” shown generally at 10 is displayed (exposed) on ID-1 carrier card 2 (Information 10 may have initially been covered with scratch-removable material). After detaching smart card 6 from ID-1 carrier card 2, the user still wants a record of the information, so ID-1 carrier card 2 (with information 10 thereon) is typically retained by the smart card user. Thus, at least some of the ID-1 carrier cards do not get recycled.
Therefore, it would be beneficial to have a way of adding information associated with a smart card onto its carrier card while allowing that information to be easily detached from the carrier card. The carrier card could then be recycled after the smart card and the associated information are detached there from. The present disclosure presents such a way to provide information that is more conducive to recycling waste materials. The disclosure uses the terms “PIN,” “PUK,” “carrier card,” “payload,” “information tab,” and “payload set,” which are understood in the present disclosure as follows:
A “PIN (Personal Identification Number) code” is a secret numeric password shared between a user and a system (usually a telecommunication system). The PIN code can be used to authenticate the user to the system.
A “PUK (PIN UnlocK) key” is a recovery code required to unlock a GSM SIM card that has been disabled or has locked itself after an incorrect PIN code was entered several consecutive times.
A “payload” is a component that may be carried by a larger object, such as a carrier card that may comply with the ID-1 format. Typically, the payload is a card smaller than the carrier card. A card that complies with the ID-000 format may be a payload.
A “carrier card” references a card that carried, carries, or is intended to carry, a payload. The carrier card essentially increases the payload's form factor. In the context of the present invention, a carrier card also carries an information tab.
An “information tab” is a descriptive element or object, which accompanies or is associated with another object. The information tab carries information, for example a PIN code and a PUK code, associated with the functionality or operation of the other object. The other object may be a SIM card or other smart card.
A “payload set” is a combination or set that includes a payload and an associated information tab.